The agreement was signed by Mayra Arevich, ETECSA executive president, and Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google, a company specializing in Internet products and services, software, electronic devices and other technologies.

This agreement will provide greater speed, quality of services and optimization of ETECSA’s international network by installing local servers on the island, thus reducing the access time for Google internet content including some of the most popular and more bandwidth-intensive content, such as YouTube videos.

Google’s presence in Cuba dates back to 2014, when a number of products such as Google Chrome, Google Play and Google Analytics were launched for the first time. A few months ago, thousands of extensions and free themes were also made available in the Chrome Web Store so that Cuban users could personalize their experiences when browsing the web.

According to the official Google blog for Latin America, these projects pursue the common goal of making global information accessible and useful for all, regardless of costs, connectivity, or language barriers.

(Granma)

Hilda Arias Pérez, central director of ETECSA Mobile Services signed on the Cuban side, while Marcelo Claure, president of Sprint, did so on behalf of the U.S. firm.

This is the first agreement to provide direct roaming services (allowing cell phones to remain operational when traveling to Cuba) between both countries.

Vivian Iglesias, director of ETECSA International Services, explained that the services will commence once technical tests are completed and final details regarding financial transactions are resolved.

She added that payments for these services continue to be made through banks in third countries and in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, given the continued blockade on Cuba.

Meanwhile, Marcelo Claure, president of Sprint, noted that through these agreements citizens of both countries will be able to communicate and Sprint customers will be able to use their cell phones when traveling to Cuba. He added that this is a very important step and that he hoped other companies would follow suit.

On September 22, 2015, the two companies also signed an agreement for direct interconnection via the ALBA-1 submarine cable, allowing for direct telephone calls between Cuba and the United States.

It was further reported that the negotiation process continues to increase other services.

Sprint Communications Company LP. is a telecommunications company based in Overland Park, Kansas, the U.S., which provides mobile and fixed telephone services, as well as being a global provider of internet and data services.

It is also the third largest wireless telecommunications company in the U.S., with its own 100% digital and fiber network.

It also emerged that the blockade regulations have prevented the commencement of services between ETECSA and Sprint on the agreed date and the proper development of business schemes in telecommunications that have the approval of the U.S. government, as Cuba can not carry out transactions with U.S. banks and banks of other countries fear the sanctions they may incur for performing these operations.

(Granma)